One of my favorite FALL recipes!

The famous pumpkin crunch cake recipe!

Pumpkin Crunch Cake:
1 pkg. Duncan Hines yellow cake mix
3 eggs, beaten
1 16 oz. can pumpkin
1 12 oz. can evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup pecans
1 cup melted butter

- Spray bottom of 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.
- Preheat oven to 350-
- Combine pumpkin, milk, eggs, sugar, spice, and salt; mix well.
- Pour into 9x13 dish
- Sprinkle dry cake mix evenly over the pumpkin mixture.
- Top with pecans
- Drizzle melted butter over the top.
- Bake for 1 hour until golden brown & bubbly - it sometimes needs longer.
- Cool completely before serving.
- Serve with Cool Whip topping. (**Especially good with the "French Vanilla" flavored cool whip!!)

-ENJOY!!! HAPPY FALL!!

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage...

As a little girl we've all sang that catchy little song,

"(Boy) 'N (Girl) sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes baby in a baby carriage!"

Today, Brian & I are celebrating our 7th Wedding Anniversary! I can not believe it that it has already been seven years, but it has! So much has happened in those short seven years.

And what a BLESSING this journey has been!

In those seven years...

We've moved four times!

Served at five churches.

Lived in four states!

Owned four homes...

Experienced the gift of LIFE & had two PRECIOUS babies!

A daughter. And a son.

We've seen the Lord do AMAZING things in ministry.

Celebrated many holiday's together.

Made lifelong friends.

We've been challenged in our faith.

Stretched in our love for each other.

We've learned how to fight effectively.

Laughed A TON!! Shed some tears.

And through it all we've seen The Lord's Faithful Hand guiding us through it all...

What an INCREDIBLE BLESSING my marriage has been... I know that not everyone can say that. But I truly am blessed with an amazing, godly, leader as a husband. Who also happens to be a FABULOUS father to our two kids. Who also happens to be an INCREDIBLY gifted student pastor & communicator of God's Word!

Happy Anniversary Babe!

I love you more than words can say!

I can't wait to spend the next 70 years by your side!

So back to that catchy little song I sang as a little girl, it has come true in my life...

crazy to think of how fast the time as gone, but we certainly did fall in love (after a crazy few years prior to), had an amazing wedding which has evolved into a great marriage - centered on The Lord, and then built a family together with adding our two babies!!

I couldn't imagine my life without these three people in my life.

I feel so overwhelmed that the Lord has blessed us so....

and is so thankful to the Lord for the beautiful picture of marriage.

The night we got engaged...

"We are ENGAGED!!!" March 2002

Engagement picture - summer 2002

Our Ceremony - September 21, 2002, 2:00pm @ FBC - Springdale, AR

Mr & Mrs Brian Mills!!!

Waiting to head over to the reception!

Staff Retreat...

So much has been going on since moving here to Tennessee, but one of the most fun - by far - has been our staff retreat we took last week. Our pastor & his wife Jennifer planned a fun short trip to Franklin (South Nashville) for all of the staff & their spouses for a time together to reflect on our ministries, the church, our families & our marriages. It was a great time to look back at where we've come from as a church, what God is doing right now through the Crazy Love Campaign, & where we are going in the near future.

Can I just tell you just how much I am a fan of our pastor, David Landrith! He is one of the most amazing leaders I've ever met. I can't even begin to tell you how exciting it is that we have such an excellent communicator, pastor, leader & friend to serve on staff with! God has His hand on him and is definitely moving & blessing LHBC! Goodness, we are so blessed!

And let me brag for a minute on the women of Long Hollow-both staff & staff wives (pictured below). They are some of my new favorite people! Each of them I got to know this weekend as we laughed, ATE, shared stories, went shopping together, painted pottery, & worshipped with...and let me tell you - they are such an AMAZING group of women!

You know, it's no coincident that we are here.... GOD KNEW this is what we needed as a couple & a family. He knew this was the next step He had planned for our lives, even though we weren't looking to take a step in leaving Houston. As Brian & I have looked back over our past 7 years of our marriage & ministry together - it is so evident to see God's hand guiding every church we've been apart of, every move we've made as a family - and yes, there's been a few...but through it all, each experience built upon the last one to bring us to where we are today at Long Hollow. We are very aware of what the Lord is doing in our lives & we just don't want to miss a minute of what He wants to do in our lives and our ministry together.

We are so incredibly blessed to be a part of such an amazing church & staff here.... this weekend was also a great reminder to me of the importance of praying for your staff & your pastor of your church - wherever that may be! The Enemy is out to attack today's church and it's leaders and it is evident more today than ever! Don't forget to be lifting up your church, your pastor & your church staff to the Lord every day for His protection & provision!